Chemistry Readings

These readings and essays are intended to help our students see the wonder and relevance of studying chemistry.

The Mighty Atom	This wonderful reading comes from Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. This book is one of the best collection of essays on science ever written. It covers life science, physical science, and earth and space science topics. As the NY Times says, "It is destined to become a classic of science writing!"

The Poisoned Needle	Dianne Stahl uses this reading in her classes. It relates well to the scientific method, mixtures, and compounds. Dianne also uses these 10 guiding questions or 20 guiding questions with this reading.

Nitro Compounds	This selection comes from the wonderful book called Napoleon's Buttons by Le Couteur and Burreson. Each chapter describes the fascinating stories behind some our best know chemicals. These include glucose, cellulose, silk, nylon, dyes, caffeine, salt and many others. A great book for a budding chemist.

Radar, Hula Hoops, and Playful Pigs	This selection comes from a book by Dr. Joe Schwarcz of the same name. As the president of Acadia University stated, "Joe Schwarcz has mastered the art of science education as an attention-holding and rewarding experience. In this book he provides a great read, a book you will not want to put down. You will learn a great deal about the world around us while being compelled to read on—it’s an educator’s dream!" Click here to view the book at Amazon.

Boyle's Law and a High Flying Elmo	This selection also comes from Radar, Hula Hoops, and Playful Pigs. Dr Joe Schwarcz is a master writer for chemistry and science education. Here is what one of his readers says about this book, "This is perfect for anyone interested in how various products were developed, health aspects of chemistry, or the history of various chemical discoveries. As a high school science teacher I am always looking for anecdotes regarding various science topics. This is perfect!! Lots of fun!"

Forgotten Genius: Percy Julian Transcripts	NARRATOR: 1939: A chemist at a midwestern paint company makes a startling discovery, one that could improve the health of millions of people. The company wants him to stick to making paint, but this man has always gone his own way. He was the grandson of Alabama slaves, yet he went on to become one of America's great scientists. This transcript is from the PBS broadcast called Forgotten Genius: The Story of Percy Julian.

Toward Sustainable Chemistry	Chemistry has an important role to play in achieving a sustainable civilization on Earth. The present economy remains utterly dependent on a massive inward flow of natural resources that includes vast amounts of nonrenewables.

Green Chemistry and Education	Many students today are profoundly interested in the sustainability of their world. With growing public concern over global warming and greenhouse gases, students want to understand how human actions affect the health of our planet. Students are deeply concerned about pollution. They practice recycling. Moreover, they want to secure a healthy Earth for future generations. As students of chemistry, they have a unique opportunity to start at the ground floor of the exciting and expanding field of green chemistry.

Other Chemistry Resources:

The Chemistry Collective	The Chemistry Collective is a collection of virtual labs, scenario-based learning activities, and concepts tests which can be incorporated into a variety of teaching approaches as pre-labs, alternatives to textbook homework, and in-class activities for individuals or teams. It is organized by a group of faculty and staff at Carnegie Mellon University for college and high school teachers who are interested in using, assessing, and/or creating engaging online activities for chemistry education.
The American Chemical Society	The web site of the American Chemical Society. A great resource for students and teachers.